Friday, April 06, 2007

Had a brief, fun surf last week in head high beachbreak, took some snaps but I won't bore you with them.

But.

I had a very interesting meal with a certain Derek Hynd last Friday. About what I won't say yet, so that I don't put the mozz on it but what he'd been doing that day will blow your mind.

Last Thursday the reports were calling for a pretty solid six foot and offshore in the Winki/Bells area.

So Derek loads up the car in Sydney, starts the 600 mile drive at around 6pm, hits Melbourne in the morning and is at Bells in time for the outgoing tide (good) around 11am.

So what.

Here's the rub.

He paddled out on one of 3 5'7' highly customised boards, with NO fins, and proceeded to rip the bags out of it, or as one young guy who spotted him when we were eating said, "you were shredding". He went on to say he couldn't believe a guy's face as Derek dropped down a wave backwards before spinning it 'round to come off the bottom.

I asked Derek a few things about control.

Can you bottom turn?

Yep.

Hold a high line?

Yep.

Get barrelled?

Yep

Cutbacks?

Not really.

So how do you stay close the curl?

Take it high and throw a three sixty.

Apparently he was making waves from Uppers to Lowers, (200+ metres) at speed, killing it.

Later, when I dropped him back to the car, I saw the boards. What were originally I think knee boards, had been scalloped, scooped, concaved and fluted in various configurations, some more successful than others, to produce enough drag in the right places to keep the back at the back when he wanted, and allow enough edge control to lay a decent turn.

Suffice to say a fascinating meal. Great guy.

After we finished he headed back to Sydney so that he could see his son's soccer match in the morning.

Hiya Mick. I’ve actually been feelin a bit down on my blog lately –feels like it’s not been very creative. Thanks to your urging, and a little Bukowski to get me off feeling sorry for meself, I am ready to push forward and improve my writing.

It’s amazing that you know Mr. Hynd. I own both of Kidman’s films and it’s not uncommon to put one in and just watch Derek’s sections. If we were all as passionate as he the world might be a better place. Cheers and hope to read more soon.